Safefood launches "Speak Out" campaign

Safefood is launching a public awareness called "SPEAK OUT" designed to encourage consumers to speak out if they are not satisfied with hygiene standards when eating out. The Campaign also provides restaurants with guidance on how to deal with issues raised by consumers.

FACT: Safefood have revealed that 53% of consumers feel reluctant to speak out if they are unhappy about poor hygiene standards.

FACT: 62% of consumers will not return to the food establishment if they experience poor food hygiene standards, and will most certainly tell others of their bad experience.

This Campaign is designed to address issues experienced by consumers by encouraging them to talk to you directly. "Speak out" was designed by the Safe Food promotion board in collaboration with the EIQA.

The "Speak Out" campaign was launched on 27th October 2008.

Tips on how to deal with a customer complaint:

1. Apologise- This is not an admission of guilt on your part- just good manners!
2. Put yourself in their shoes- this will help to find a solution faster!
3. Treat every complaint as legitimate- It is true that there are some professional complainers out there, but they are a minority!
4. Get all the facts- You will need them to understand the situation and if they are emotional, it will give them the time to calm down!
5. Learn form every complaint- All of the other points are not really valid if you don’t fix the problem!
6. Gifts aren’t always the answer- This is a quick fix and will lead to more complaints if the problem has not been resolved!
7. Have a continuous improvement culture- Check customer satisfaction regularly, as well as the quality of the goods being sold!
8. Always respond- Make sure that everyone who complains, whether by telephone, letter or email gets a rapid and appropriate response!
9. It's good to talk. Better to listen- Do you really know what the customers think of you? Most customers talk to family, friends, colleagues even other diners before telling you about any food hygiene concerns they may have.

Enforcement Orders

These are the total number of enforcement orders issued to date:

Year	Closure Order	Improvement Order	Prohibition Order
2008	29	4	3
2007	37	6	16
2006	37	7	3
2005	27	4	12
2004	42	12	8
2003	35	28	1
2002	37	22	10

Improvement Notice- An improvement notice is issued, following consultation with a “designated” officer (EHO), when it is of their opinion that a premise or practice is of such a nature is likely to pose a risk to public health. (improvement notices are not posted on the FSAI website)

Improvement Orders- An improvement order is issued by the District court if an improvement order is not complied with. An improvement order is issued where in the opinion of the EHO that an activity involving the handling, preparation of food, or the condition of a premises where this activity takes place is such that if it persists, it is likely to pose a risk to public health. (improvement orders remain on the FSAI website for a period of three months from the date the order was lifted.

Closure Order- A closure order is issued if in the opinion of the authorised officer, there is likely to be grave and immediate danger to public health at/or in the food premise. Closure orders can refer to the immediate closure of all or part of the food premise, or all or some of its activities. The orders may be lifted when the premise has improved to the satisfaction of the EHO. Failure to comply with an improvement order may also result in a closure orders. (closure order will remain on the FSAI website for three months from the order was lifted).

Prohibition Order- A prohibition order is issued if the activities (handling, processing, disposal, manufacturing, storage, distribution or selling food) involve or are likely to involve a serious risk to public health from a particular product, class, batch or food item. Prohibition order remain on the FSAI website for a period of one month from the date the order was lifted)

Christmas Tips

Mind that Turkey!!
Consumers are been advised NOT to wash their Turkey prior to cooking this Christmas.

Why?
Some bacteria, which are present in as many as 4 in 10 turkeys, can spread through the splashes of washed and can survive for three days or more on work surfaces or to other foods.

• Rinsing poultry under the tap does little to reduce the number of germs on the surface of poultry.

• The Bird should simply be placed on a baking tray and put straight into the oven. By doing this, the risk of cross contamination in the kitchen is significantly reduced.

• A study carried out by the university of Limerick revealed that when preparing chicken, Campylobacter, was found on 36% of draining boards, 18% on oven handles, 27% on counter tops and 27% of hands.

• To speed up the cooling process, decant food from it's container and place on a shallow tray on top of a bed of ice.

• Keep refrigerators at the temperature range of 3°C to 5°C.